Reasons to Quit

Reasons to Quit For COVID-19

Evidence continues to emerge about the risk of more severe symptoms of COVID-19
to patients who smoke. The Kings College COVID-19 Symptom Tracker Study has
analysed data from 1.5m people across the UK which has indicated that smoking
significantly increases the risk of self- diagnosed COVID-19 classical risk symptoms
by about 26%.

NICE have issued NG168 which underlines the need to strongly encourage COPD
patients who smoke to stop. As well as the known physical health benefits of
quitting, a Public Health England, Health Matters report has highlighted that the
positive changes in mental health after quitting smoking, improved positive mood
and psychological quality of life.

Analysis of survey data by YouGov and Action on Smoking and Health shows that as
a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 27% of smokers say they are more likely
to quit, over one third of smokers have cut down, whilst 2% (~300,000) have quit
completely. However, nearly 1 in 10 smokers (over half a million) in England have
failed a quit attempt during the COVID-19 lockdown, highlighting the importance
of access to specialist support to maximise quit attempts.

Protecting Others

Stopping smoking is so important in protecting the health of others.
Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of complications from respiratory
infections in both adults and children. Therefore, when we are at home during
the lockdown, it is really important to protect others from the dangers of secondhand
tobacco smoke.

Latest News

Prof Robert West, Director of Tobacco Studies at University College London, on the
best ways of quitting for COVID-19. He said: “The key is to keep trying, no matter how
many times you’ve tried in the past. It really is like rolling dice because there’s
such a lot of luck involved in it. All of the evidence is telling us that it really
doesn’t matter how many times you’ve tried before; it makes no difference to your
chances of success this time.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dismissed claims that ‘smoking reduces the risk of COVID-19’
and has urged smokers to quit amid the worldwide pandemic. Their advice comes shortly after a study
at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris suggested that nicotine may offer some protection to
smokers from contracting COVID-19.

Smoking and Pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of:
• Under-development
• Premature Birth
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
• Health problems for the baby such as Asthma , Glue ear and Recurrent colds
• Still Birth
• Behavioural problems and
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• MiscarriageBut after 24 hours of being smokefree, your baby’s oxygen levels can
return back to normal. That’s how quickly you can make a difference.

We offer;
• Free nicotine replacement therapy products (such as patches, gums,
inhalators etc) which will help manage cravings.
• Carbon monoxide readings provided for you to see how your levels improve
through quitting
• Receive support from our friendly specialist pregnancy advisor from the comfort of
your own home or one-to-one in a choice of locations, if you would prefer
• Gift voucher incentives when you have quit
• As much or as little support as you want
• Friends and Family members can quit with you!

Secondhand (passive) smoke harms your baby

If your partner or anyone else who lives with you smokes, their smoke can affect you and the baby both before and after birth. You may also find it more difficult to stop if someone around you smokes.

Second-hand smoke can also reduce birthweight and increase the risk of cot death. Babies whose parents smoke are more likely to be admitted to hospital for bronchitis and pneumonia during the first year of life. More than 17,000 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital every year because of the effects of second-hand smoke.

Smoking & Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is usually caused by a build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries around the heart (coronary arteries).The fatty deposits, called atheroma, are made up of cholesterol and other waste substances.The build-up of atheroma on the walls of the coronary arteries makes the arteries narrower and restricts the flow of blood to the heart. This process is called atherosclerosis. Your risk of developing atherosclerosis is significantly increased if you smoke.

Smoking and COPD

Smoking is the main cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. At least 4 out of 5 people who develop the disease are, or have been, smokers. The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and permanently damaged by smoking. This damage cannot be reversed. Around 10-25% of smokers develop COPD.

Smoking and Cancer

Smoking is by far the most important preventable cause of cancer in the world. Smoking accounts for one in four UK cancer deaths, and nearly a fifth of all cancer cases.

Smoking causes more than four in five cases of lung cancer. Lung cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, and is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Smoking also increases the risk of over a dozen other cancers. The good news is that most of these deaths are preventable, by giving up smoking.

The fact is that half of all smokers eventually die from cancer, or other smoking-related illnesses. A quarter of smokers die in middle age, between 35 and 69.

How does smoking cause cancer?

Tobacco smoke contains more than 70 different cancer causing substances. When you inhale smoke, these chemicals enter your lungs and spread around the rest of your body.

Scientists have shown that these chemicals can damage DNA and change important genes. This causes cancer by making your cells grow and multiply out of control.

Thanks to research, health campaigns and new policies, the number of smokers in the UK has halved in the last 50 years. Because of this, the number of people who die from lung cancer has also halved. Clearly, giving up smoking saves lives

Smoking and Diet

When you go smoke free, your appetite may increase and sense of taste may improve.

The average weight gain after quitting smoking is roughly around 3kg.

This is a normal response to the removal of nicotine from your diet.

Please Contact us if you are looking for support or worried about weight management.

Smoking and Shisha

A World Health Organisation study has suggested that during one session on a Shisha pipe (around 20 to 80 minutes) a person can inhale the same amount of smoke as a cigarette smoker consuming 100 or more cigarettes. Hookah smoke also contains nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.

Smoking and Diabetes

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you will need to pay special attention to certain aspects of your lifestyle and health. Diabetes doesn’t have to stop you from leading the life you want. Nor does it mean you’ll necessarily have other serious health problems in the future. If you do smoke, Contact us to help you stop. Smoking increases your risk of heart disease and stroke even further.

Stop before the Op

One of the most important things you can do to speed up your recovery is to quit smoking. You may be having surgery in the coming months and now is the time to be thinking about stopping smoking before your operation.

Within the first hour, your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal. After eight hours the level of carbon monoxide in your blood will half and your oxygen levels will return to normal. After 24 hours the carbon monoxide leaves your body and within 48hrs your body is nicotine free. After just a few weeks you will start to notice your food tastes better, your lungs are clearer and you have more energy. Within 12 weeks your circulation is now improved throughout your body.

How long before the Op should you stop?

The sooner you stop before the op the better. Research suggests that stopping one month before surgery can make a great difference to the speed you recover and get back to good health. Ideally you should aim to stop smoking eight weeks before your surgery as this greatly reduces the risk of you developing complications. Smokers have one in three risk of developing post-operative chest infection. This can be reduced to one in ten if you stop eight weeks before your operation. We appreciate it is not always possible to give up in advance of your op especially for those undergoing emergency surgery, however giving up smoking for just a few days can make a big difference to your recovery as carbon monoxide and nicotine are cleared from your body within 48 hours.

Benefits of giving up smoking pre-op

Smokers normally require more anaesthetic than normal. Stopping before your surgery will mean you will require less anaesthetic and this will help speed up your recovery.

Less time spent in the recovery room and less need for oxygen therapy.

There is less likelihood of you developing a chest infection following surgery.

Wounds will heal more quickly. Smoker’s wounds take longer to heal due to the reduced amount of oxygen circulating in the blood and the effect of nicotine on the production of essential healing chemicals.

There is a lower risk of developing dangerous blood clots after surgery.

Less need for pain relief

What help can you get?

You don’t need to do it alone. It can be hard to quit smoking but you are up to four times more likely to quit with help and support from a specialized service. Smokefree Liverpool can support you in your quit attempt; we offer:

One to one support sessions over a period of 12 weeks.

A free weekly supply of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

A range of community clinic where you can drop in at a time convenient to you.

Please Contact us if you are looking for support or worried about weight management.

Smoking Homes and Cars

What is secondhand smoke?

More than 80% of secondhand smoke is invisible and odourless, so no matter how careful you think you’re being, your family still breathes in the harmful poisons. This puts them at risk of meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia.

Secondhand smoke is dangerous for anyone exposed to it, but children are especially vulnerable as they have less well-developed airways, lungs and immune systems. Up to 5 million children across the UK are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke in the home. Breathing second-hand smoke increases a child’s or an adult’s risk of lung cancer by 24% and heart disease by 25%.

It’s not just about the physical effects smoking has on your family.

Nearly three quarters of children worry that their mum or dad will die because they smoke. Not only that, but if you smoke, your children are three times more likely to smoke when they grow up. By quitting your children will be less likely to take up smoking.

How can I prevent secondhand smoke?

From 1st October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in vehicles with someone under 18 present; both the driver and passenger could be fined £50.

Please Contact us if you are looking for support or worried about weight management.

The Benefits of Quitting

Stopping smoking can make a drastic improvement to your lifestyle and health in ways you might not expect. Once you stop smoking, some of the benefits are immediate and some are longer-term

How will my health benefit?

You will reduce your risk of developing illnesses, disability or death

You will reduce your risk of amputation caused by circulatory problems

You will improve the health those around you and protect your children from secondhand smoke

You will improve your fertility levels and your chance of a healthy pregnancy and baby, whether you are a man or a woman planning to have a baby